World reacts to ’Erdoğan 7’

"It is the government’s responsibility to provide information," David Dadge, the director of the International Press Institute, or IPI, said, commenting on the ban on reporters who had placed their signatures on reports that caused tension with the government. "By denying these journalists the right to accreditation, the Turkish government is failing to live up to its democratic responsibilities. It is endangering the public’s right to information.

"Furthermore, I am deeply concerned that this is part of the government’s ongoing battle with the media, and yet another attempt to silence critical reporting in Turkey," Dadge said.

The European director of the International Federation of Journalists, or IFJ, Marc Gruber, speaking to the Daily News, said the reasons behind the cancellations are too ambiguous. "There should be precise information given on the reasons. We do not understand the motive behind the cancellations." No official reason for the cancellations was given at first, but the prime minister's press office said the reason was "general observations," reported Daily Milliyet.

"When they say general observations... what does that mean? No details are provided, this is not normal," he said.
"Our first comment is that we do not understand the decision. I think these journalists or other organizations in Turkey should ask for more information."

The prime minister’s press office said later the cancellations "do not target institutions, but individual reporters... Reporters who do not abide by the rules of verification/reporting according to the Principles of Professional Journalism, and who do not abide by the rules and conditions of working, will not be given new accreditation cards," said the statement posted on the press officer’s Web site late Tuesday.

Reporters
Reporters deprived of their accreditation are Hasan Tüfekçi and Turan Yılmaz from daily Hürriyet, Abdullah Karakuş from daily Milliyet, Veli Toprak from daily Vatan, Fatma Çözen from Star Television, Ali Ekber Ertürk from daily Akşam and Sultan Özer from daily Evrensel.

They are some of the most experienced figures among the press corps who follow the prime minister and the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP.